Paint-bell



C. S. ASH.

PAINT BELL.

APPLlcArloN HLED JULY 14.1916.

Patented June 7, 192i..

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narra stars TNT @FHCE CHARLES S. ASH, OF BUFFALO, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR, BY MESNE ASSIGNMENTS, TO WIRE WHEEL CORPORATION 0F AMERICA.

'PAINT-BELL.

Application filed July 14,

T 0 all whom it may concern.'

Be it known thatl, CHARLES S. ASH, a citizen of the United States, residing at Buffalo, in the county of Erie and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Paint-Bells, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make. and use the same.

rl`his invention relates to improved means for and method of manufacturing wirespoked vehicle wheels and the like.

. One of the'objects of the invention is to provide a practical and simplified device for expediting the application of a paintor enamel coating to the external surface of the parts of a wire-spoked automobile wheel.

A further object is to provide an improved device for the purpose mentioned, wherein the painting operation can be effected at a minimum labor and material cost. Other objects and advantageswillbe in part noted hereinafter'in connection with the-following description of the accompany-I ing drawing, which illustrates a typical embodiment of the invention, and wherein- Figure 1 is a front elevational view.

Fig. 2 is a side elevational view showing in dotted lines, a wheel mounted in position.

Fig. 3 is a vertical section of the wheel and standard.

Referring more particularly'to the drawing, there is shown a horizontally disposed, funnel-shaped housing 1 mounted upon a rigid cast standard 2 and connected at its rear end 3, of reduced diameter, by a flue 4, to a vertical air shaft 5. A. blast fan 6 is positioned at the bottom of the air shaft 5 to create a draft of current from the open front end 7 of the housing rearwardly through the flue Ll and vertically through the shaft 5 to a suitable exhaust. rlhe fan 6, as illustrated, is driven by a unit motor 8, though it will be understood that other driving means may be provided, if desired. A check valve 9 is also preferably located in the shaft 5 to regulate the air current independently of the fan 6.

There is provided within the housing a vertical standard 10 secured above the front upright of the supporting standard 2 and having an offset oblique extremity 11 which carries a member rotatably mounted to turn freely on standard 10 and shaped as a wheel Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented J une 7,1921.

1916. Serial No. 109,279.

hub to receive the wheel unit 12 constituted by a hub shell 13, interlaced wire spokes 14 and rim 15. y

ln operation, a wheel to be painted or enameled is positioned upon the dummy hub 11 and rotated or spun about the hub axis by the operator, who then applies a coating of the paint or enamel through a pressure atomizer or sprayer. In this operation the spray is directed inwardly of the housing so that the waste is carried by the air draft rearwardly. The air further expedites the drying. After the paint has been properly applied with the wheel rotating in one direction, the operator then spins the latter in the opposite direction and applies the spray to the reverse or uncoated area. The wheel may then be turned about the axis of the standard 10 and spun to apply the paint to the rear vof the Wheel, so that the paint or enamel spray will reach and cover uniformly all the exposed surfaces.

There is also preferably provided a reflector 16 secured to the top of the housing 1 and projecting obliquely upward over the open end. Suitable incandescent lamps or other illuminants are placed in the reflector 16 to cast rays on the device mounted in the housing to which the paint is to be applied.

The device described is particularly advantageous in the manufacture of wirespoked vehicle wheels, wherein a relatively great number of spokes are interlaced between the hub and rim and cross at a plurality of points and afford relatively acute and inaccessible corners or areas. It will be readily understood, however, that the device is' adapted for use in painting various parts which are capable of mounting, preferably rotatably, on a standard, such as 10,y in the housing.

As many changes could be made in the above construction and many apparently widely dierent embodimentsof this invention could be made without departing from the scope thereof, it is intended that all matter contained in the above description orv shown in the accompanying drawings shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

It will be observed that the dummy hub 11 is arranged with its axis at an inclination to a horizontal plane, so that the wheel Will rotate in an inclined plane. The wheel, therefore, need only be slipped onto the where the spokes dummy hub, whereon it will be maintained by gravity during its revolution. No fastening means of any character are needed and at all times the wheel may be quickly removed by slipping it o" from the dummy hub. 'llhe inclination shown in the drawing is that considered best for a quick and even application of the paint spray and such as will enable the workman to readilyY observe the progress of the work being done, notwithstanding the fact that the wheel is held within an encircling hood. @ne side of the wheel having been covered, the work-v man, by simply turning the wheel about the vertical axis of the standard l0, can expose the oppositeside of the wheel to the action of the spray, and this can be done without lifting the wheel from its dummy hub.

Having described my invention, what l claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is: i v

L lln apparatus for painting wheels, the combination of a housing, means for insurtable, said inclined support being turnable' about a vertical axis, substantially as described.

2. ln combination a housing air draft producing means, a lvertical supporting member within the housing having an upwardly inclined offset portion at its upper end and a dummy hub turnable onsaid oil'- set portion, said inclined oisetportion with its hub being turnable to different portions about the axis of the vertical supporting member. l

i ln testimony whereof l aiiix my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

. CHARLES S. ASH.

Witnesses:

G, W. Hoon, L. lF. WATSON. 

